Old Tyme Gun Etiquette Question

[CowboyTutt]

I'm going to settle in and watch Apaloosa tonight with Ed Harris. My friend tells me that Viggo Mortensen walks around town with the shotgun breech open to show it is not loaded. Did people actually do that? Never seen that before.

-Tutt

[RIHMFIRE]

I dont remember him walking around with his 8 ga...open...
unless he was reloading!
I better watch it again...

[Hobie]

Nope. Guns were all loaded. Unloaded guns are worthless. Yep, that's how it was, no doubt...

[CowboyTutt]

Opening scene with the city counsel when they sign the "paperwork". Viggo has the breech open and stylishly draped over his wrist. However, it is loaded, and as they leave to go confront the outlaws in the bar, he closes it with a resounding click. Very cool!

Hobie, I would agree with you, which is why I asked the question!

-Tutt

[Rusty]

An unloaded gun is just a club.

[gamekeeper]

Over here I see TV period dramas where D/B shotguns are often carried open yet all the old time photo's of gamekeepers and gentry from the nineteenth century and early twentieth century guns are always carried closed. This fashion of carrying guns broken came about over here when so many non shooters took up clay bustin' and for safety's sake everyone had to prove their gun was unloaded.

A D/B shotgun is made to be opened only for loading and unloading, carrying the gun broke for long periods of time is more likely to cause wear on the hinge pin.

Time was when you could trust fellow shooters to be safe, not anymore, too many morons in the gene pool.

[Ysabel Kid]

Time was when you could trust fellow shooters to be safe, not anymore, too many morons in the gene pool.

Truer words were never spoken! Problem is, they seem to be breeding faster than us as well!